The exhibition brings together more than 240 objects, including the Qing imperial court edition of Illustrated Strange Tales from Liaozhai, portraits of Pu, and a half volume of the handwritten and author-revised manuscript of Strange Tales from Liaozhai. Through four sections—"Life in All Things," "Feeling Beyond Boundaries," "Writing the Myriad Forms," and "Reaching Far and Wide"—the exhibition explores the tales themselves, the life of Pu, later creative adaptations, and major scholarly achievements inspired by his work. Through an immersive bamboo-grove setting, visitors are invited into a literary realm where fantasy and reality intertwine, revealing the values of loyalty, righteousness and human affection that underpin the stories, as well as the author's profound concern for society and the human condition.
For more than three centuries since its publication, Strange Tales from Liaozhai has captivated generations of readers with its extraordinary imagination and profound humanistic spirit, serving as a wellspring of inspiration across time. The exhibition enables visitors to discover genuine human feelings amidst illusions and spirits, appreciate the author's literary brilliance, and embrace the enduring artistic power of this masterpiece.